Non-contaminating incinerator for consummate burning of trash and disposal of waste



Feb. 13, 1968 AR so 3,368,505

NON-CONTAMINATING INCINERATOR FOR CONSUMMATE BURNING OF TRASH AND DISPOSAL OF WASTE Filed Jan. 18, 1966 INVENTOR ARTHUR E. HARRISON United States Patent 3,368,505 NON-CONTAMINATING INCINERATOR FOR CON- SUMMATE BURNING 0F TRASH AND DISPOSAL OF WASTE Arthur E. Harrison, 820 W. 9th St., Cheyenne, Wyo. 82001 Filed Jan. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 521,294 2 Claims. (Cl. 110-18) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The incinerator of the present invention maintains sterile conditions and prevents contamination of the atmosphere in the burning of trash within a portable compact housing for a motor driven, reticulate trash-receiving drum rotated in proximity to a flame-producing fuel line; and a sprinkling system within the housing cooperates with a spark-arresting flue for complete removal of the burnable material and waste without exposure of the waste to the atmosphere.

This invention is an incinerator for consummate burning of trash, having especial adaptation for use in burning classified material, which the government requires to be reduced to a pulverulent condition, or waste, including infectious materials, such as found in hospitals, sanatoriums and the like.

Objects of the invention are to provide an incinerator equally efiicient for both indoor and outdoor use; to provide an incinerator which includes a trash-receiving, rotat 'able reticulate drum to which the burning flame is directly applied, the drum being equipped with strategically positioned internal agitators in the form of toothed edge bars or the like which carry unburned materials to the top of the drum for ignition and continuously stir the burning trash until the last particle is pulverized; to provide an incinerating housing or shell which carries a flue with a revolving screen for intercepting sparks; 'and to provide an incinerator which is motor-operated, the motor being housed outside and attached to a wall of the incinerating housing in operating attachment to a drive shaft concentrically mounted in, and attached to, the reticulate trashburning drum, the opposite ends of the drive shaft extending through complemental hearings in the opposite ends of the incinerator housing.

It is further within the contemplation of this invention to use a water sprinkling system located preferably between the fuel pipe and drain to permit flushing of the burnt trash residual into the sewer main, the appurtenances for controlling the fuel 'and water sprinkler system being housed in the front wall of the incinerating housing in convenient accessability to the incinerator operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary smoke stack assembly readily attachable to the main stack if more draft is required.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a supplemental door in the front of the unit through which access may be gained to the drum to permit removal of unburnable articles in the trash such as nails, paper clips, etc.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an incinerator constructed in accordance with this invention, parts thereof being broken away to disclose details;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an auxiliary dr'aft assembly, parts thereof being broken away to disclose details.

The device of this invention includes a housing 10, made of suitable sheet metal which is lined with an insulated material such 'as asbestos 11 in order to retain the heat and to protect the housing from the weather. The incinerator may be used either indoors or outdoors. When used indoors, it is preferred that the housing 10 be mounted on a concrete base 12 which preferably is provided with a drain opening 13 which communicates with a sewer main. The front wall of the housing is provided with access doors 14, 15 and 16 which will be hereinafter described in more detail. The front wall of the housing is further provided with a casing 17 in which appurtenances, used in operating the incinerator, are mounted. The top of the housing is provided with a fine 18 which is equipped with a rotary screen 19 in operative connection with a motor 20 mounted on a wall of the housing. The screen .19 is adapted to intercept sparks arising from the incinerator when in operation.

A trash-carrying reticulate drum 21 is rotatably mounted in the housing. A shaft 22 extends axially through the drum and is secured to the latter, the ends of the shaft extending through bearings 23 mounted in the opposite end walls of the housing 10.

One end of the shaft extends beyond the rear wall of the housing into an assembly 24 secured to the housing, which assembly includes a motor 25 and a gear wheel 26 fixed to a terminal of shaft 22, which gear wheel meshes with a pinion 27 carried by one end of a drive shaft 28 of the motor 25. The motor 25 is located in close proximity to the outer end of the gear wheel 26. When the motor operates, the gear wheel 26 is rotated for imparting rotary movement to the shaft 22 which also rotates the drum 21. Strategically mounted on the inner wall of the drum are a plurality of toothed edge bars 29 which agitate the trash while being burned, to facilitate reducing all the burnable trash to a pulverulent residual. Bars 29 lift the unburned material to the fuel flame until the burning is so complete as to permit the material to drop into the 'ash pit.

A fuel line 30 having a plurality of flame openings is mounted in the housing in close proximity to the trashcarrying drum 21. The forward end of the fuel line extends through the front wall of the housing into the easing 17. The part of the fuel line which extends into the casing is valved to permit control of the flow of fuel by the operator when the wall of the casing is open. A water sprinkler system 31 is also mounted in the housing 10 below the fuel line 30. The water feed line of the sprinkler system also extends into the casing 17 and is provided with a conventional valve which may be controlled by the operator when the door of the casing 17 is open.

When the incinerator is operated outside, it may be mounted directly on the ground, eliminating the necessity of using the concrete base. The housing is anchored in any conventional manner, and the ashes from the trash gravitate to the ground.

The 'access doors 14, 15 and 16 may be used in any desired manner. Preferably, the door 15 is used for clean out purposes, especially for the removal of any nonburnable materials which find their way into the trash, such as nails, paper clips, rivets, etc. The door 14 may constitute the feed door for the trash which is placed therethrough and an auxiliary door 32 hinged on the front of drum 21. The door 16 is the clean out door for the burnt residual, if it is desired to remove the residual rather than flush it into the sewer main. This door may also be opened, where increased draft is desired.

For additional draft, there is also provided an auxiliary dr'aft assembly, generally designated 33, which may consist of an elbow as shown in the drawing, a vertical portion thereof being slidably mounted over the flue 18 and a horizontal part used for the reception of a fan 34 which is in operative connection with a motor 35 through a shaft 36.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. An incinerator adapted for consummate burning of trash and disposal of waste matter comprising a base provided with a drain opening communicating with a sewer line;

an imperforate housing mounted on said base including access doors in one wall of the housing;

a reticulate trash-receiving drum including an axially extending drive shaft being rotatably mounted in opposite end walls of the housing, motor drive means at one end of said shaft to impart rotary movement to said drum, agitator bars secured to the inner wall of said drum and extending lengthwise thereof for stirring the contents of the latter to effect complete burning of the contents, and a door in said drum movable into alignment with one of the access doors in the wall of the housing;

a fuel line being provided with a plurality of flame openings disposed subjacent to said drum for applying a flame directly to the drum contents;

a water sprinkling system being interposed between the fuel line and drain opening in the base for flushing the residual of the burnt trash into the drain opening; and

a spark-arresting flue extending upwardly from the top of the housing having a rotary screen mounted therein for intercepting sparks passing into the flue from the incinerator, 'and power means for selectively moving said rotary screen into operative or inoperative position, said flue cooperating with said sprinkler system and drain to maintain sanitary conditions and prevent exposure of the waste materials to the atmosphere.

2. The incinerator of claim 1, with an addition of an auxiliary draft assembly secured to said flue, said auxiliary draft assembly including an elbow member comprising a vertical portion slidably mounted on said flue, the assembly further including a horizontal portion, a fan positioned in said horizontal portion, and power means for actuating said fan.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 836,222 11/1906 Smith 11018 1,301,371 4/1919 Brennan 11018 X 1,355,761 10/1920 Jones.

2,061,247 11/1936 Nordstrom 110119 2,548,203 4/ 1951 Deming 1108 2,877,724- 3/1959 Arvintz et a1 110162 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

